This word springs to mind constantly. I have Austin and Matthew here with me for a couple of days and nights while Audrey is still in the hospital with Elizabeth.
Adjective or genetic trait?
Sometimes I skip over the preface of a book. I'll glance at it, and decide if I'd rather just dive into the book. This time I read the preface, and I'm so glad I did. This book was written as a serial - much like Dickens's books were. However, this one was published on a daily basis in The Scotsman. Inherent in a serial are some issues that don't have to be dealt with in a regular novel. McCall Smith does a great job of handling all those (shorter chapters, sometimes less depth in plot and characters, a more light-hearted story).